Meta faces mounting lawsuits after Instagram Reels recommends disturbing content, including explicit material involving children.

A disturbing scandal has shaken Meta, as reports revealed that Instagram Reels, the platform’s short video feature, was recommending explicit and inappropriate content alongside teen-focused material, including gymnastics and cheerleading videos. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, test accounts focused on teen influencers were shockingly paired with reels containing adult content and even explicit material involving children.

A similar test by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection also confirmed these troubling findings, sparking outrage over Instagram’s recommendation algorithms. In addition, the platform displayed unacceptable infiltrated advertisements, further raising alarms about brand safety and the effectiveness of Meta’s content moderation.

Meta responded by emphasizing its commitment to eliminating harmful content, announcing new brand-safety tools and a task force dedicated to detecting suspicious users. However, the company dismissed the Wall Street Journal test as a “manufactured experience,” claiming it did not accurately represent real users’ daily interactions on the platform.

The scandal is intensifying legal pressure on Meta. The company is already facing multiple lawsuits, including one filed by 33 U.S. states accusing it of neglecting warnings about the potential harm of its platforms, especially to young girls. Another lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts, claims that Instagram executives ignored the negative impact their app had on teen well-being, with evidence suggesting that Meta was aware of how its platforms were affecting mental health.

As the scandal unfolds, the spotlight is firmly on Meta’s role in protecting minors online, and the company is under increasing scrutiny for failing to prevent harmful content from spreading across its services.